There were only ever two possible outcomes for a sequel trilogy.

Either Lucasfilm was going to figure out a way to set it within the continuity of the EU (in which case Chewie would be long dead and the ending would neccessarily allow for the Legacy comics to still happen a hundred years later), or they were going to completely start over per George’s wishes.

I never understood why people thought something like a Thrawn Trilogy adaptation was a possibility for the ST. The mere fact that the story would be spoiled already was reason enough for it to stay off the table as an option.

Setting a sequel trilogy within the existing continuity is always what I assumed they’d do. After all, most of the major characters were still alive in the novels with the exception of Chewie.

Most people angry about the EU reboot probably think it was all Disney’s doing when it was entirely up to George. He apparently never considered the books canon to begin with, even though Lucasfilm touted them as “the official continuation of the story” and gladly took people’s money for it.